Draft: this article is awaiting review and is not indexed by search engines.
Digitalizing a process is more than moving paper forms onto a screen. Good preparation makes the project faster, cheaper, and more likely to be used. Here are five things you can prepare even before talking to a developer.
1. Map the process as it runs today
Write the steps down as they really happen: who starts it, which documents are used, who approves, and where the result goes. Include exceptions too, such as what happens when a request is rejected or an approver is on leave. These exceptions are the most often missed.
2. Define the main problem to solve
Is the process too slow? Are there frequent input errors? Is status hard to track? Choose one or two main problems. This focus helps decide which features must be in the first version and which can come later.
3. Involve users from the start
The people who run the process every day know best where it gets stuck. Bring their representatives into discussions early and into testing. Systems designed without users often go unused.
4. Gather sample data and documents
Collect the forms, reports, and spreadsheets in use today. Clean the data that will be migrated, such as duplicate names or inconsistent date formats. Tidy data speeds up migration.
5. Agree on how to measure success
Decide what signals success, such as average approval time, the number of requests recorded completely, or less manual consolidation. Record the starting point so you can make an honest comparison after launch.
Start small
Not every process needs to be digitalized at once. Pick one process with noticeable impact and manageable risk, run it, learn from the results, and then move on to the next.
All articles